Improvement in steam-engines



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE3 HENRY WALTERS, OF TAMAQUA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEAM-ENGINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 37,186, dated December16, 1862.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, HENRY WALTERs, of Tamaqua, in the county ofSchuylkill and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Steam-Engines; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and eXact description of the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawing, in which- A is the pistonrod; B, the pistonof a steam-engine; C, the cylinder to the slidevalve; E, rod to work theslide-valve; F and G, steam-openings into the cylinder; H,exhaust-openin g I, steam-pipe leading from the boiler; K, openings forescape of water from the condensed steam, 8mo.; L and L', valves to letoft' the water from condensed steam at each stroke of the piston; M,beam to work the valves; N, rod, upon which the beam is centered; O,lever to regulate the position of the beam and lift of the valves; P,fulerum of the lever O; Q, thumb-screw to X position of lever and beam;It, pipe for outlet of water.

My invention consists in a simple and effectual device for freeing thecylinder of the steamengine from water collected therein bycondensation, or otherwise, without the loss of any portion of theeffective pressure of the steam as supplied from the boiler. Iaccomplish this in the following manner: I construct small openings K ateach end of the cylinder, beneath which I place the valves L and L andthe beam M. When the piston has made the inward stroke and is about toreturn, as is shown in the drawing, the slidevalve D opens thesteam-passage G with the exhaust H and relieves the pressure from thevalve L. When the slide D has moved sufficient to open the steam-passageF and admits the eiective pressure of the steam upon the piston B, thevalve Ll is instantly closed, forcing down the beam M at that end andraising the opposite end, and with it the valve L, through which thewater, passing from the cylinder through the opening K, escapes by theoutlet-pipe It. When the piston reaches the opposite end of thecylinder, the valves L and Ll and the beam M operate in the same manneras above described.

In connection therewith, and for the purpose of regulating the liftofthe valves L and L', I center the beam M on the rod N, attached to theend ofthe lever O, by raising or depressing, which at the end-Qdepresses or raises the beam M and regulates the lift of the valve asrequired. The same can also be accomplished by placing a screwunderneath the beam M in place of the lever O.

Having thus described my invention and the manner in which the same isor may be carried into effect, I shall sta-te my claim as follows:

In cylinders of steam-engines of otherwise ordinary or suitableconstruction, valves at either end of said cylinder, and balanced by aworking beam, so as to automatically open and close water-passages bythe alternate action of steam on the piston, as described, when thefulcrum of said beam is adjustable, whereby the lift of the valves maybe regulated at pleasure, substantially as herein shown and set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification beforetwo subscribing witnesses.

'Witnesses:

WM. MILNES, MronAEL BEARD.

HENRY WALTERS.

